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Facebook runs the internet's de facto social network. They're a monopoly that only exists because open solutions didn't come about in time. It's an accident of
by staunch 8y ago
Facebook runs the internet's de facto social network. They're a monopoly that only exists because open solutions didn't come about in time. It's an accident of history that a few companies control what should have been decentralized protocols.
The internet itself permits unfettered free speech and so should the largest social networks of the internet. As private companies they're not required to by law, but they should feel required to by their own ethics.
Facebook could provide tools to allow people to do whatever they want with the data. Users themselves should be in control of censoring whatever it is they don't want to see.
It's extremely dangerous to have a single corporation in charge of deciding what people see. It's inherently tyrannical and paternalistic. It's a decision to remove agency from adults about what information they consume. It's hard to imagine a more damaging attack on individual freedom in a time where this is the primary source of information for many people.
- mozumder 8y agoThis is the kind of argument that makes people more dependent on Facebook. The best way to fight Facebook's monopoly is to just get people off of it and let them form their own independent social networking strategies. You are basically making the case for Facebook by arguing for them as the de facto social network. Facebook is completely unnecessary. We need to remind people of that.
- staunch 8y agoI'm stating a fact that they are the de facto social network. As such, they have an ethical duty to not deprive their users of basic human rights like freedom of speech. I absolutely do want Facebook replaced but I'd also like them to do as little damage as possible until they are. It would make a lot of sense to have laws that require massive monopolies like Facebook to abide by the same rules that constrain government organizations.
- mozumder 8y agoYah the last thing I want is for anyone to treat Facebook as necessary.